Frequently Asked Questions

Does Gumballs.com have a printed catalog?No, our website is our catalog. Its not practical to print a catalog since our inventory is always changing with new gumball machines, vending machines, gumballs, bulk candy, etc.

Do you accept purchase orders?We accept purchase orders from schools and government facilities only. Please note all POs must be pre-paid before we can ship you the products (you can pay via credit card, check, money order or wire transfer). Please email or fax your PO to us.

Do you sell replacement parts?Yes we do, but only for the gumball machines and candy machines that we sell. If you are looking for parts for a machine that you did not buy from us, you are welcome to give our parts a try but we cannot guarantee compatibility, and no returns are accepted on parts. All our parts can be found on the "Machines" tab of our website.

Can a machine be set to "Free Spin" without quarters?Yes, but we are warning you now: be ready to buy gumballs by the truck-load. If you would like your vending machine to free spin first check the options in the coin mechanism section for your machine. If there is not a free spin option be sure to mention it in the comments box within the shopping cart system when placing your order online and we will contact you regarding the price of that customization.

Do you sell animal food vending machines to dispense fish or animal feed? Many of our customers have used one of our commercial candy machines to dispense fish food and animal pellets at fish ponds and petting zoos. Any of our machines with candy dispensing wheels should work as animal feed vending machines, but we cannot guarantee they will work as it depends on the size and texture of your animal feed. If your feed is similar in size to bulk candy, chances are it will work just fine. In the end, its your call! Please note, however, that our animal food gumball machines are not built for outside use and are not weather-proof.

Is ordering online safe and secure?All online transactions through our website are handled with industry-standard SSL encryption. This means that when you enter your credit card number into our secure order form and you press the Buy button, your information goes through a highly secure encryption process which prevents any person on the Internet from seeing your information. Within just a few seconds, it reaches our credit card authorization server, is decrypted, and is quickly authorized without any human intervention. As surprising as it may seem, this process is considerably safer than turning your credit card over to a waiter in a restaurant. If you still feel uncomfortable about entering your credit card information online, we would be more than happy to process your order over the phone.

Will your bill validators work if currency faces are changed by the US Government?Historically, our bill validators have accepted new currency faces. Should one not work in the future, validator upgrades will most likely be made available at an extra charge (easy to install), so your old validator could be updated to accept new currency.

How much will my vending machine business make? If we could predict how much money your vending machines will earn, we would no longer be in the vending business--we would be retired! What we do know is that the success of your machine will be dependent upon three factors: location, location, and location. The busier the location, the better your vending machine will do. It’s that simple.

How do I find locations for my vending machines?This can be accomplished in three easy steps: Step 1. From now on, wherever you go, keep your eyes peeled for busy locations. Any location with a lot of foot traffic is a good location for a vending machine.Step 2. Approach the location owner and propose to set up your gumball machine, candy machine or other vending machine within their store, explaining to them that you will completely service the machine yourself. Let them know that the machine takes up less than two square feet of floor space, does not need any electricity, and will provide their customers with a great service. Best of all, they will earn a percentage of the gross sales (anywhere from 15% to 33%, its up to you). Step 3. Set up your machine and start making money! Once you set up the first machine, find another location and start the entire process over again.

Do I have to offer the store owner a percentage of my sales? This depends on the approach that you take. If you approach the owner as a business person strictly interested in expanding your vending route, then it would be proper to offer them a percentage of the sales. Do not forget that offering a percentage is an incentive for the owner to allow you the space in their business. We recommend offering anywhere from 15% to 33%, depending on the location. Another approach that you could take is through charity. There are many charitable organizations that will supply you with stickers to put on your vending machines in exchange for a nominal monthly fee, usually $1 per month, per machine. Most store owners will allow you space in their stores for free when you are associated with a charitable organization.

Should I use a locating service?We firmly believe that the best way to secure quality locations is to do it yourself. If, however, you wish to use locating services, there are a number of locating companies that you can contact and hire independently. Gumballs.com does not promote, sell, or endorse locating services of any kind.

What are good locations for vending machines? In our experience, certain businesses have consistently proven to be successful locations. These include restaurants, bowling alleys, skating rinks, shopping malls, Boys and Girls Clubs, laundromats, movie theaters, high schools, colleges, markets, coffee shops, banks, automotive centers, taverns, and apartment complexes. Always be on the look out for more obscure locations that could prove to be really favorable. Some surprisingly successful locations that we have come across include auction facilities, casinos, bingo halls, horseback riding facilities, and airports. Remember, any place with steady foot traffic is a good location for a vending machine.

Do I need a business license or insurance to operate a vending route? You should consult with your local licensing department to find out the specific rules and regulations pertaining to bulk vending in your state.

Once I place a machine, should I have the location owner sign some sort of contract? This is up to you, but in our experience we have found that a contractual agreement is unnecessary.

Is theft and/or vandalism a big issue with these machines? Because bulk vending machines are typically placed in high visibility and high traffic locations where there are people or employees at all times, theft and vandalism is uncommon. If you are locating your machine in a questionable location, a simple and cost-effective solution would be to wrap a chain around the base of the machine and chain it to a fixture within the store. This simple solution would prevent any would-be thieves from attempting to steal your vending equipment.

How often will I need to service my vending machine and how long does it take to service? Our spiral gumball machine holds up to 3300 gumballs and could go several months without servicing. However, we recommend that you check on your machines at least once a month. Servicing a vending machine, which includes collecting the money and refilling the machine, takes about three minutes per machine. A vending route consisting of 100 vending machines could take as little as 6 hours a week or two weekends a month to fully service.

Do I need a truck or van to run a vending route? No. Our spiral gumball machines, bulk vending machines, and triple-vend machines easily fit within a standard vehicle. That is, of course, unless your vehicle is a bike. Then you have a problem.

Can I operate my vending business from my home? Heck, you could operate your vending business out of your bedroom closet if you really wanted to. There is absolutely no need for an expensive office or warehouse.

Can your vending machines be shipped internationally? Can the coin mechanisms be adjusted to accept foreign currency?We can adjust some of our vending machines to accept foreign currency and ship to international destinations. However we'll caution you that shipping internationally can get extremely expensive. Please contact us directly for more information.

Why should I purchase from gumballs.com? Because we are nice people who take care of our customers!When you buy from us, you are not only purchasing the finest commercial quality vending machines available, but you are also benefiting from our expertise and knowledge of the vending industry. We have put these machines to the test in our own vending route to ensure their superior quality and durability. You can rest assured that when you buy from gumballs.com, you are purchasing from a company that has the experience to help make your investment worthwhile.

Which gumballs are the softest?Gumballs.com sells the freshest gumballs available, so they're as soft as any gumballs you'll find. We would recommend the smaller .50" sized as soft gumballs since those are smaller and have a thinner gum content, they'll tend to be the softest.